FRIDAY 31 AUGUST
1pm – Culture Now: Woody Woodmansey in conversation with Tom Wilcox
Tom Wilcox in conversation with Woody Woodmansey – drummer from David Bowie’s legendary band the Spiders from Mars– explore the artistic processes that created Ziggy Stardust, and assess its cultural impact.
7pm – Bowiefest Opening Night
Join us for the Opening Night of the UK’s first ever Bowie Film Festival, celebrating 40 years of David Bowie’s work in film, with a special screening of ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS followed by late-night partying to the sounds of the legend’s expansive career.
9pm – Labyrinth (U)
Director: Jim Henson. UK, 1986. 101 mins.
Perhaps Bowie’s most famous role, not least due to his famous cod-piece, Labyrinth is a fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, and featuring a cast played by puppets from his Creature Shop, which revolves around the quest of teenage Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) to reach the centre of an enormous otherworldly maze to rescue her infant brother Toby, who has been kidnapped by Bowie’s Jareth, the Goblin King.
SATURDAY 1 SEPTEMBER
1pm – Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (15)
Director: Nagisa Ôshima. Japan, 1983. 123 mins.
Starring Tom Conti and Takeshi Kitano alongside Bowie in what he called his ‘most credible performance’, Ôshima’s 1983 Cannes Palme D’Or entry deals with the relationships among four men in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during the Second World War.
3.15pm – The Man Who Fell To Earth plus Q&A with Nic Roeg (18)
Director: Nicolas Roeg. UK, 1976. 139 mins.
Nic Roeg’s sci-fi classic starring David Bowie, Rip Torn and Candy Clark in an adaptation of Walter Tevis’ novel about an alien who comes to Earth seeking a solution to his home planet’s woes, only to find himself lost in an unfamiliar, corrupt and sometimes hostile society.
6.20pm – Christiane F (18)
Director: Uli Edel. Germany, 1981. 138 mins.
Now an established cult movie, featuring Bowie performing in concert and a soundtrack from his ‘Berlin era’ albums (Low, Heroes, Lodger), Christiane F follows the escapades of a 12-year old girl as she gets drawn deeper and deeper into the 1970s drug scene in West Berlin.
9pm – The Hunger (18)
Director: Tony Scott. UK, 1983. 97 mins.
The directorial debut of Tony Scott, The Hunger is a neo-gothic horror telling story of a love triangle between a doctor (Susan Sarandon) who specializes in sleep and ageing research and a vampire couple, played by Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie).
SUNDAY 2 SEPTEMBER
1.30pm – Labyrinth (U)
Director: Jim Henson. UK, 1986. 101 mins.
Perhaps Bowie’s most famous role, not least due to his famous cod-piece, Labyrinth is a fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, and featuring a cast played by puppets from his Creature Shop, which revolves around the quest of teenage Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) to reach the centre of an enormous otherworldly maze to rescue her infant brother Toby, who has been kidnapped by Bowie’s Jareth, the Goblin King.
3.30pm – Absolute Beginners (15)
Director: Julien Temple. UK, 1986. 108mins.
A musical adaptation of Colin MacInnes’ novel about life in late 1950s London, featuring Bowie (who also provided the title track) and Sade, along with a breakthrough role for Patsy Kensit, Julien Temple’s unconventional rock musical divided audiences on its high-profile release but has gone on to acquire cult status.
6pm – Alan Yentob in conversation with Jeremy Deller about CRACKED ACTOR
A BBC Omnibus documentary, Cracked Actor followed an alienated Bowie during the Diamond Dogs tour of America in 1974. We are delighted that the director Alan Yentob will join us in conversation with leading UK artist Jeremy Deller about this influential film to close the festival.
8.30pm – The Hunger (18)
Director: Tony Scott. UK, 1983. 97 mins.
The directorial debut of Tony Scott, The Hunger is a neo-gothic horror telling story of a love triangle between a doctor (Susan Sarandon) who specializes in sleep and ageing research and a vampire couple, played by Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie).
